East Germany Road Trip: The Best Week from Potsdam To Prague

Difficulty

528 miles/850 km

Distance

7

Recom. Days

Culture

Trip type

Image of Indie Campers freelance travel writer Jenn Zajac, outside a cafe.
Jenn Zajac

Ice coffee-addicted, pun-loving, Oxford comma-embracing writer. Currently based in beautiful Bali after too many winters in Boston and London. Specializes in crafting content for hotels and travel.

East Germany Road trip Itinerary: Berlin Round-Trip

Germany Road Trip map itinerary

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Berlin has earned its electric reputation, but there is much more to explore on an East Germany road trip beyond the capital.

See UNESCO World Heritage sites in pretty Potsdam, where Prussian kings “summered” in an opulent palace and Cold War spies held covert meetings.

Meanwhile, trendy Leipzig is quickly stealing Berlin’s thunder as an emerging hub for techno music and art. Prague is an easy road trip from Berlin, perfect for a few days spent sipping craft beers and sightseeing.

Finally, head to Görlitz to find a scene-stealing Old Town and stroll right across the border into Poland for a few pierogis. With Berlin as your base, the region’s many underrated gems are just a short drive away. Los geht's!

Bridge in Prague during sunset - East Germany Road Trip
Pick-up in
Berlin Pick-up center
1

See the famous “Bridge of Spies” in Potsdam

Just a 40-min drive from our local depot, Potsdam is a quick and easy first stop on this East Germany road trip from Berlin.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is poised on the banks of the Havel River, with an interesting blend of architecture, history, and green spaces.

Your first stop should be Sanssouci Palace, truly Germany’s answer to Versailles. Once the summer home of King Frederick the Great, this opulent palace is dripping in luxury and surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens.

University of Potsdam is a must-visit on a East Germany Road Trip

If spy novels are more your thing, Potsdam has plenty of Cold War intrigue to get your motor running. Glienicke Bridge once formed a border between West Berlin and East Germany, creating an ideal location for the regimes to exchange their captured secret agents.

For this reason, it became known as the “Bridge of Spies,” and even served as a filming location for the so-named film inspired by true events, starring Tom Hanks.

Visiting

Potsdam

1

Recom. Days

Main route

25 miles

from Berlin pick-up center

40min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Schloss Sanssouci

Prussian King’s summer palace (casual) and parks.

Glienicker Brücke

Iconic ‘Bridge of Spies’ from the Cold War era.

Signal

Eat at

Bagels & Coffee

$$

Truly, the perfect breakfast combo.

Lewy Wein-Bistro

$$

Classy bistro with impressive wine list.

RV icon

Parking

Sanssouci P2 - Voltaireweg

$$

Parking lot near the palace.

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Stay at

Campingpark Sanssouci

$$$

Lovely lakefront pitches, close to train.

2

Feel the beat in music-loving Leipzig

Haven’t you heard? Leipzig is the new Berlin! One of the oldest cities in Germany is experiencing a modern-day Renaissance, thanks to the recent influx of creatives and young professionals.

Hip cafés, clubs, and galleries are popping up left and right, making it an excellent stop to include on any East Germany road trip itinerary.

Architecture in Leipzig - East Germany Road Trip

Where else but Leipzig can you catch a concert of Johann Sebastian Bach’s greatest hits, then dance the night away to the latest techno beats? The wave of artists and musicians flocking to the city has created infectious energy that pulsates day and night.

Get your fill of beautiful architecture in the Old Town, then head to Karli (short for Karl-Liebknecht-Straße) to dance the night away in techno clubs that rival sister Berlin’s.

Visiting

Leipzig

2

Recom. Days

Main route

106 miles

from Potsdam

1h50min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Monument to the Battle of the Nations

Military memorial with viewing platform.

Thomaskirche

Lutheran church with Bach concerts every evening.

Karl-Liebknecht-Straße

The epicentre of Leipzig nightlife, aka ‘Karli’.

Signal

Eat at

Zuckerhut

$$

Seriously impressive breakfast spread.

Ratskeller

$$

Cavernous German wine cellar and resto.

Max Enk

$$$

Splurge-worthy, cosmopolitan cuisine.

RV icon

Parking

Parkplatz Hahnekamm 1

$$

Good location near main train station.

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Stay at

KNAUS Campingpark Leipzig Auensee

$$

Big, friendly site less than 5km (~ 3 miles) to city.

3

Find Prague‘s familiar sights and hip new hangouts

Zipping right along the autobahn, you’ll cross the border and reach the Czech capital in around three hours.

On arrival, take advantage of Prague's excellent public transportation to easily get around the city. Join a free walking tour at Náměstí Republiky to tick off the main sights in one afternoon: Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock Tower, and Old Town Square are worth battling selfie stick-wielding crowds to see.

Bridge in Prague during nightime - East Germany Road Trip

On the other side of the Vltava River, Prague Castle cuts an imposing figure on the city skyline. Explore the church, castle complex, and surrounding gardens at your leisure before grabbing a shameless photo opp at the colourful John Lennon Wall.

There are usually some extra brushes and paint laying around, so feel free to leave your mark (political statement or otherwise).

When you’re ready for a pivo or three, there are traditional beer gardens like Letna and Riegrovy Sady, or head to the hip riverfront hangout Naplavka.

Visiting

Prague

3

Recom. Days

Main route

159 miles

from Leipzig

2h50min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Old Town

Historic city centre with famous Clock Tower.

Prague Castle

Huge, 9th-century castle complex and courtyards.

Lennon Wall

Graffiti-covered wall inspired by John Lennon.

Naplavka

Riverfront promenade with bars, markets, & cafés.

Signal

Eat at

Kavárna co hledá jméno

$$

Hipster-chic spot for brekkie or lunch.

Lokál

$$

Industrial space & authentic Czech fare.

Café Savoy

$$$

Grand, elegant European café.

RV icon

Parking

Parkoviště Praha 7 - Letná

$

Guarded lot in Prague 7 near trams.

Signal

Stay at

Caravan Camping

$

Aptly-named, perched on the River Vltava.

4

Get to Görlitz and pop over to Poland

Görlitz might just be the coolest German city you’ve never heard of. Nestled right up against the Polish border, this sweet Saxon spot is the perfect for the final of your West Germany Roadtrip.

Park your campervan and hit the cobblestoned streets of it’s beautifully preserved Old Town. You might even recognize scenes from movies like Inglourious Basterds and The Grand Budapest Hotel -- they both filmed scenes in Görlitz.

Bridge in Görlitz  - East Germany Road Trip

Buildings in the Old Town include a late-Gothic church, early-Renaissance and Baroque museums, and even art nouveau. The Altstadtbrücke (Old Town Bridge) links Görlitz to the Polish town of Zgorzelec.

Stroll right across and tick off the third country on one road trip! Back on the German side, no visit to Görlitz is complete without sampling some local flavours.

The signature dish is Schlesisches Himmelreich, smoked pork loin served with dumplings, dried plums and apricots. Sleep well on a full stomach and head back to Berlin the next morning.

Visiting

Görlitz

1

Recom. Days

Main route

106 miles

from Prague

1h10min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Kulturhistorisches Museum

Early-Renaissance building with regional history.

Zgorzelec, Poland

Go to Poland for one or two pirogs.

Signal

Eat at

N13

$$

Cool, casual gastropub near the centre.

Miódmaliny

$$

Elegant café in Zgorzelec, book ahead!

RV icon

Parking

Stadt Görlitz Obermarkt

$$

Open car park near Old Town.

Signal

Stay at

Camping am Rosenhof Görlitz

$$

Only 4km from Görlitz center, child friendly.

Drop-off in
Berlin Pick-up center

112 miles

from Görlitz

2h20min

drive